William b



(No Model.)

W. B. LOMAS.

. BANJO.

No. 313,352. Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

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ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

WVILLIAM B. LOMAS, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

BANJO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,352, dated March 3, 1885.

Applicafiin filed June 17, 1884.

To 60% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VTLLIAM B. Lotus, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State 'of New York, have invented certain new and The invention also consists in the combt nation, with the ring, ofa circular wire placed in a circular groove in the top of the ring.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters-of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved banjo. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the ring and circular wire, parts being broken out.

The neck A, which is of the usual construction, is secured in the usual manner on the ring B, and the head 0 is secured on the ring or circular frame B by means of the ring D,

which is drawn down to keep the head taut by means of the usual clamps.

In the top of the ring B or circular frame a flat wooden ring, E, is secured, which has a flat top surface, and has its under surface beveled from the rim toward the edge of the central opening.

(N0 model.)

In the upper surface of the ring E a circular groove, F, is made a short distance from the edge of the central opening, and in the said groove a circular wire, G, is placed, onehalf of the thickness of the wire projecting from the upper surface of the flat ring E.

Instead of providing the wire G. a head can be formed 011 the upper surface of the ring E at or near the circular edge of the opening.

The head, which is drawn taut, is pressed on the circular wire G, and thus the annular part of the head 0 between the wire G and the circular frame B will be prevented from vibrating, and only the middle part of the head will vibrate. Thus a small vibrating surface is obtained on a large head, and in a banjo having a long neck. The tone of a large banjo is thereby rendered softer and sweeter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a banjo, of a fiat ring secured within the top of its circular frame, a circular wire on the said fiat ring, the said circular wire being placed under the head of the banjo, and about one-sixth of the diameter of the said head from the clamped edge of the head, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. A banjo having a flat ring secured in the top of its circular frame, which ring has a circular groove in its top, and in which groove a circular wire is placed to project from the upper surface of the ring, substantially as herein shown and described.

\VILLIAM B. LO AS.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, O. SEDGwIoK. 

